BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

« Back to Archive
12

A cyclist struck in the head downtown during a protest.

I am not interested in the political aspect, but want to understand what happened.  Anyone know the cyclists that were attacked.  I know there was more than just that one on the news as I saw video of other very young cyclists that were very poor fighters being attacked as well.  Anyone know what really happened?  I find it hard to believe the cyclists were the aggressors.  I ask this to gage my safety on our city streets.  I am pretty concerned about my safety being an older white male riding in the city.  Sorry, but I am seeing some crazy stuff and also have experienced a lot of aggressive minority drivers coming very close to me.  I have been riding in this city since the '80's, so you aren't going to school me on what the vibe is here.  I think I know and am concerned for my safety.  In the winter it might be better as drivers can't tell my race or age with all the close on.  At least that is my hope.  Be careful out there.  Seems nuts!
gg
2020-09-08 00:36:39
I don't have firsthand knowledge, but this article says "there were three men from outside the protest who were screaming “Blue lives matter” at the protesters. When protesters began to confront them, one man began swinging a bike at people." and then a protester got physical with the guy with the bicycle, smacking him with a skateboard. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2020/09/07/Pittsburgh-protest-police-investigate-video-restaurant-clash-diners-Mercato-Penn-Avenue-Downtown/stories/202009070059
paulheckbert
2020-09-08 09:57:25
Thanks.  I have ridden by a protest before and always felt I was no threat to anyone on a bike, but seeing someone attack a cyclist unnerved me a bit to be honest.  Think I will just avoid protests.  Just want to be safety riding my bike.  I also want to mention Craft the person that drank that beer claimed they were chanting "blue lives matter", but she also claimed she was welcomed to drink that beer and the elderly couple told the media she was not welcome to it, so I don't believe that story.  I'll look for footage to see if there is anything out there. Stay safe out there.  Just seems like things are more intense right now, but maybe not really.   Guess I just wanted to understand that bicyclist part of all this.
gg
2020-09-08 11:50:34
You are interested in the political aspect of it. It isn't hard to see what you are trying to do. I ride this city every damn day and I never yet have had "aggressive minority drivers" come close to me. The typical aggressive driving has not gone up or down or changed by any ethnicity. You are always on internet forums trying to start "us vs them" political arguments with your fearful suburbanite right winged views. I don't participate in that cesspool of citydata forum, but I recently saw some threads from you inciting ridiculous right winged talking points that you get from your typical self described internet intellectual dark web warrior engages in. BTW, thanks for insulting my kid's school with your silly city school thread on that dumb forum. Nothing like a suburbanite jackass insulting my own son as being a "city kid who won't adhere to the rules like those suburban kids." Your whole thing is stereotyping and slinging crap on the internet. I don't care if your older white male, been riding since the 80s. I ride every part of this city; rich uppity parts and the more poor minority parts. I have routes through the back parts of Homewood, the Hill, and North side, Squirrel Hill and Shadyside and again, there has not been any more uptick in angry minority drivers trying to come close to me because of my skin color. You're a joke dude. Edit, it may be anecdotal, but my run ins with aggressive drivers have not changed in the near 10 years riding this city. It doesn't matter if I am in Squirrel Hill or Homewood. A certain percentage of any population of humans will be an aggressive driver. Any harassment that I typically endure since I started cycling to now are from angry white males in trucks. But again, that is just anecdotal for me.  
shooflypie
2020-09-10 10:01:08
I mostly agree with ShooFlyPie regarding aggressive drivers and drivers who harass cyclists.  I don't see race as an issue at all, now or in the past.  I am an older white guy, hardly ever angry (I am retired and living the good life, what do I have to be angry about?).    However, and this is anecdotal as well, I feel there is an uptick in aggressive drivers since this COVID thing started.  More people running lights, going through stop signs, ignoring yield signs, and driving way too fast in places where that is dangerous.  Not sure why.  
kolo-jezdec
2020-09-10 11:35:40
Well if no one knows what happened and no one knows the cyclist, there is nothing to report.  All the words typed have no value to anyone wanting to understand what happened. I'll look elsewhere.  Ride safe.
gg
2020-09-10 22:38:16
I doubt that I'm the only one here with riding experience here in the 1970's Lot's of harassment over the years.  Much less now.  Some vaguely racial, but only a tiny fraction and I'd guess those jerk would have harassed anyone, anyhow. The de facto segregated suburbs used to be utterly intolerant and intolerable.  Clearly a variety of identity-based awfulness.  Red-necks. Whatever.  They'll shout homophobic slurs, antisemitism, probably racial slurs, too, of course -but not to me because I'm an old white dude. You'll find sour people of any race who sprinkle a little "identity" into their general drunken, violent hostility.   Doesn't  mean much.  Just listening to different variety of loud, bad music.
mick
2020-09-10 23:09:11
Hi Mick, I actually was thinking about this thread and hope to delete it.  I agree it is better to ride a bike in our region than back in the 70's and 80's for sure.  Lots of trucks and pickups would come close with purpose. Anyway, I would rather have the thread deleted.  Guess I had a moment of nervousness and just started to wonder if anyone was seeing any shifts.  Probably just a couple of jerks.  100's of cars pass me all the time with no issues.  I ride very safe and try to avoid bad areas. Anyway, whoever is in charge, probably best to delete the thread.  It has no value to be here.
gg
2020-09-19 13:08:15
In the past, contacting Erok  (erik"at" bikebgh) has worked for getting stuff deleted from here.
mick
2020-09-24 17:07:20
Thanks Mick.  I don't want to bother anyone during COVID to be honest.  It will die over time.  This forum is really about dead anyway as you will get attacked like my thread if you just are asking a simple question to get a vibe and looking out for your safety.  I will just keep my own eye out and ride on roads that are as safe as they can be.  Nothing new really, but looking forward to COVID and the election to be over.  People seem a little crazy right now and it seems to be getting worse.  To be expected I guess.
gg
2020-10-06 00:15:22
Stay safe out there.
vikiknapp
2020-10-30 04:07:07
Ah, I guess I am getting older and just don't want to deal with people much.  My apologies for such a thread.  I am not comfortable right now on our roads, but as I said, I am just seeing odd things and I might be alone in my experience.  I will be back on the roads after the election.  I need to ride. Even in my car things are odd now.  Damn, cities are really not very fun anymore, but whatever.  I am an anomaly.  Don't mean to be, but am.  Sorry. Wish I could delete the thread aa I just might be worrying too much.  Just want to ride my bike.  It might just be bad luck and my mind wondering.  It can happen as the negative comments make me feel it is just me on my bike and in my car that experiences more aggression.  All my friends say yes too, but maybe they are all like me and just are out of touch.
gg
2020-10-30 21:03:34